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15 Hostages Held by Colombian Rebels Are Rescued

CARACAS, Venezuela — Colombia announced Wednesday that it had rescued 15 captives held by the FARC rebel group, including Ingrid Betancourt, a former presidential candidate, and three American military contractors held by the guerrillas for more than four years.

The United States was involved in the planning of the operation and provided ‘’specific support,�? according to the White House. But officials would not describe the nature of that support, or say whether it included military help or intelligence assistance.

The rescue of the captives, who were reported to be in good health, marks a major victory in Colombia’s struggle with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, a Marxist-inspired insurgency that has been attempting to topple the Colombian government for more than four decades.

Ms. Betancourt’s son, Lorenzo Delloye, told Agence France-Presse said the news was "an immense joy, an indescribable joy.�?

The defense minister, Juan Manuel Santos, said the rescue operation was carried out Wednesday in Guaviare, a jungle region in south-central Colombia. It comes after the killing and capture in recent months of several senior commanders of the FARC.

Gordon Johndroe, the deputy White House press secretary, said the American ambassador to Colombia, William Brownfield and the United States combatant commander in the region, Admiral James G. Stavridis, were “engaged in the planning stages.�?

“This was a Colombian conceived and led operation; we supported the operation,�? he said, adding, “This rescue was long in the planning, and we’ve been working with the Colombians for five years, since the hostages were taken, to free them from captivity.�?

He said President Bush was kept apprised of the planning and that Mr. Bush called after the rescue to congratulate the Colombian president, Alvaro Uribe, calling him ‘’a strong leader,�? Mr. Johndroe said.

The FARC captured Ms. Betancourt while she was campaigning in Colombia’s interior in 2002. The three Americans, Marc Gonsalves, Keith Stansell and Thomas Howes, were taken captive in 2003 after their surveillance plane went down on an antinarcotics mission for the United States Defense Department. Ms. Betancourt and the three Americans were among more than 40 captives used by the FARC to bargain for political concessions. The FARC is also thought to hold hundreds of other abductees in jungle camps. “We will continue working for the liberation of the other captives,�? Mr. Santos, the defense minister, said at a news conference in Bogotá.

Colombian officials announced in June that the American contractors had been spotted by troops in the jungle a few months earlier, but said it had been impossible to try a rescue at the time.

In January, in a deal brokered by the Venezuelan president, Hugo Chávez, freed Clara Rojas, 44, who was captured along with Ms. Betancourt, and Consuelo González de Perdomo, 57, a former Colombian lawmaker abducted in 2001.

Ms. Rojas bore a child during captivity, who was found to be living in foster care in Bogotá shortly before her release, and not with the guerrillas, as they had indicated.

Hopes for the hostages’ freedom had increased after the death or surrender of several top leaders in recent months. In late May, FARC’s senior leader, the legendary guerrilla Manuel Marulanda was reported to have died of natural causes.

He built a Marxist rebel army from the remnants of a rural guerrilla group. The FARC remains Latin America’s largest insurgency, with about 9,000 fighters, despite the death or surrender of several of its top leaders in recent months.

Jenny Carolina González contributed reporting from Bogotá, Colombia, and Sheryl Gay Stolberg from Washington..

from here:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/03/world/americas/03colombia.html?hp

By Brian858 on Jul 2, 2008, 15:19 in Friendly Talkzone.

adrimm (Moderator) (☼Travelguide writer) says on Jul 2, 2008, 15:59:

OMG - wow!

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Monpirri says on Jul 2, 2008, 16:19:

Thank you Brian858!

"Anyone who still thinks that Colombia is not a gastronomical paradise needs to have their head examined." Darloup

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MitchAlvarez says on Jul 2, 2008, 23:54:

Un Gran Dia para nuestro pueblo.

Un glorioso dia para nuestro presidente.

Un maravilloso dia para nuestra patria hermosa que tanto ha sufrido.

Presidente te apoyamos 100%

Vos sos un berracoooooooooo!!!!!

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